the truth of God contained in the Scripture and this is the cause why men a long time have been deceived by the Man of Sin who still prevaileth to lead the World in darkness because they love not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Tâ—es 2.10 11 12. for this man of sin that Whore of Rome being the grand Witch of the Christian world pointed at Revel 18.23 that hee might still have freedom to deceive the Nations hath broached this Doctrin wherewith he hath defiled the world that a Witch is not a false Prophet or a Deceiver but one that can send the Devil to kill men and women and children and to make the ground barren and men and women barren in Generation and kill the children in the Wombe and can with looks kill Lambs and Cattel and can fly in the Air and can do many things by the help of the Devil which things are not possible to be done by any power but by the mighty power of God We may read of the Priests of the Idol Astaroth that were indeed real Witches in the Scripture sense who professed to do such things by the power of their Idol but were discovered by Bartholomaeus the Apostle to be deceivers of the people by the Devils subtil delusions who ruled in their hearts so they with their Idol were destroyed and many people converted to the Christian Faith Hendorfius in the fifth page of his Theater of History his words are these Bartholomâ—eus Idolum Astaroth evertit fraudes Satanae qui miraculis homines effacinatos morbis jam premebat jam pressos levabat detexit c. And where do we read in Holy Writ or common History that saver of truth that men by Devils could do such things really and to uphold such errours contrary to Scripture what is this but meer prevarication with the truth and resisting Gods holy Spirit of truth Where do we finde any such thing in Scriptures or any such description of a VVitch or that a VVitch was such a one as hath made a League with the Devil and sealed it with his bloud or hath Imps sucking him or Biggs or privie Marks or that lyeth with Incubus or Succubus or any such phrase or expression in all the Scriptures VVhat least inkling have we of these things in all the Scriptures VVhence received the Church of England this Doctrin O foolish England who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth Surely it was the Pope This groundless impious and fantastical Doctrin was never taught by Gods Prophets but that VVitch the Pope knowing in his Conscience that he is the very VVitch the Deceiver of the Nations pointed at in the Revelations and that the Scriptures were so plain that by the light thereof his devillish delusions must needs come to light if the VVorld should have true insight into the Scriptures and so that by that means all Nations would rise up on him and destroy him he not only laboured to hide the Scriptures from the common people which he did for a long time but also hath been so bold as to prevaricate with the Scriptures and to publish through the Nations that VVitches were to be understood no Deceivers but such as practised such wonderful things as the Scripture teacheth us that the doing thereof ought to be attributed to no Creature but only to the Creator as Pope Innocent the eighth to the Inquisitors of Almain and Pope Iulius the second to the Inquisitors of Bergoman sent those words It is come to our ears that many lewd persons of both kinds as well male as female using the company of the Devils Incubus and Succubus with Incantations and Conjurations do destroy the birth of VVomen with childe the young of all Cattel the Corn of the field the Grapes of the Vine the fruit of the Trees Men and VVomen and all kinde of Cattel and beasts of the field and with their said Inchantments do wholly extinguish suffocate and spoyl all Vine-yards Orchyards Meadows Pastures Grass green Corn ripe Corn and all other provisions men and women are by their imprecatioâ—s so afflicted with external and inward pains and diseases that men cannot beget nor women bring forth nor accomplish the duty of VVedlock denying the faith which in Baptism they profess to the destruction of their souls Our pleasure therefore is That all inpediments that may hinder the Inquisitors Office be removed from among the people lest this blot of Heresie proceed to defile them that be yet innocent and therefore we do ordain by vertue of the Apostical authority that our Inquisitors of high Almain may execute the Office of Inquisition by all Tortures and Afflictions in all places and upon all persons VVhat Scripture had the Pope for this we read indeed of such Fictions in the Poets as in Ovids Metamorph. 7. Cum volui ripis ipsis mirantibus amnes In foâ—tes redire suos concussaque sisto Stantia concutio cantu freta nubila pello Nubilaque induco ventos abigoque vocoque Vipereas rumpo verbis carmine fauces Vivaque saxa sua convulsaque roboraterra Et sylvaâ—â—ovea â—ubeoque tremiscere montes Et â—â—ngire solum manesque exire Sepulchris Te quoque Luna trabo The Rivers I can make retire into the Fountains whence they flow Whereat the banks themselves admire I can make standâ—ng waters go With Charms I drive both Sea and Cloud I make it calm and blow aloud The Vipers jaws the rockie stone with Word and Charm I break in twain The force of earth congeal'd in one I move the Woods th' Hills tremble plain I make the souls of men arise I pluck the Moon out of the skies Also Ovid de Medea Epist. 4. Et miserum tenues in jecur urget acus She sticketh also Needles fine In livers whereby men do pine Also Virgil Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos I know not whence some fierce bewitching eye With looks doth kill my Lambkins as they lye These are the Popes Scriptures whereon he groundeth his groundless inventions to torment the Christian VVorld and upon these grounds being inventions and pastimes of Poets hath he sent out Inquisitors in all places to torment from thence is the Spanish Inquisition which maketh search for Hereticks and VVitches all as one and now lest the world should take notice that his daily practice is to torment and kill Reformists and so his Villany ring the more in the ears of the world he hath joyned as equivocal with the word Heretiques VVitches a more ignominious name thereby to instigate people the more against them and so by this means will not be seen to kill men for matter of Religion for then men would resist and help one another but under the name of VVitches he melteth away every one that hath but a smell of the reformed Religion and the world perceiveth it not this is that Grand Witch the VVhore of Rome the Pope and his train And these
of the Clergie of ENGLAND Ioshua 7.11 THese words Israel hath sinned are not so to be understood as if Israel had been free from all other sins but only that of Achan and yet that sinne of Achan was the sinne that kindled the anger of God against Israel so likewise 2 Sam. 21.1 David had been an adulterer Ioab was a murderer Shimei a rayler Sheba a wicked man of Belial and many sins were in Israel at that time and yet the sinne that kindled Gods wrath and brought the famine was the blood-guiltiness of Saul as appeareth in the Chapter and verse aforesaid so likewise 1 Kings 16.30 Ahab was more wicked than all that were before him yet the sin that cost him his life and his crown was murthering of Naboth Chapter 21.19 so that it is easily gathered that some one abominable sinne doth sometimes more provoke God to anger against any particular man or against a Nation than all other sinnes that are commonly committed Then you that should be as messengers from God in that you cry against sinne in generall yee do well but in that yee seek not out this cursed Achans wedg that hath defiled England and the Christian world look to it betimes lest it be laid to your charge if the Nations perish for lack of knowledg Your Friend T. A. Non quis sed quid A PREFACE SInce the time that I have tryed to bring truth upon the stage of the world to be censured by all men I being acquainted with but few in comparison of all and some of them knowing my intent to put this discourse in Print I have neerly guessed by common discourse amongst them what the censure of this book will be that is it will be the same among many that it is among few for among few I find some so reasonable in their discourse that when they find by argumentation that there is reason and grounds in the Scripture for what I write they upon second cogitations and deliberate musings have yeelded to this truth and some of them very learned Some again after some serious argumentation being fully convinced that this is the very truth yet doe still suspend their censure till they see how it will be approved of by others by which they shew they are ready at all times to beleeve as the Church beleeves and to pin their opinion upon the sleeve of other mens judgements A third sort there are who at the first onset of discourse do think themselves so surely grounded and this truth so groundlesse and vain an opinion as that they cannot speak without disdain as great Goliah spake to little David and thus they beginne in fury O grosse what madnesse is this what will you deny the Scriptures what answer you to this Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live but when they are so suddenly answered and suddenly convinced that this place of Scripture maketh nothing for them and that this their great Champion-argument hath so soon received a stone in the forehead they either let their discourse fall to the ground like Goliah and slight this as a new opinion or else they runne away cowardly like the host of the Philistines and forsake the Scriptures which they first pretended should be their only weapon to fight withall and betake themselves to their leggs runing into some vain story taken out of Bodinus or Bat. Spineus or some such popish vain writer and report that it was done in Lancashier or in Westmerland or in some remote place farre off and that they heard it credibly reported from men of worth and quality and so they ingage me to answer to a story which they would compell me to beleeve or else to goe see where it was done but if it happeneth as often it doth that I make it appear by Scripture that it is absurd or impossible not to be reported by a Christian or that I shew them the story in any of the aforesaid Authors who have been the Authors of many vain fables then they presently fly to another story as vain and absurd as the former and that being answered they fly to another saying Sir what do you answer to this in which manner of disputes I have heard sometimes such monstrous impossibilities reported and affirmed to be true for they had it by credible report as would make the Angells in Heaven blush to hear them Therefore setting aside all such unscholar-like way of arguing I desire all to argue by the Scriptures and I will answer or to answer by the Scriptures and I will argue by the Scriptures as followeth in this Dilemma A DILEMMA THAT Cannot bee answered by VVITCH-MONGERS Luke 4.4 8 12. CHrist who is our forerunner Heb. 6.20 by whose holy Spirit the holy Scriptures were written whose words were of equall truth and authority with the Scriptures Yet when he was to conquer the father of lies the Prince of darknesse not for his own sake but for our example although hee was able to have argued by common reason beyond the wisedome of Solomon yet being tempted would not answer any one temptation without Scriptum est it is written because the Scriptures are the only rule of righteousnesse whosoever then will take example by him to try the Truth by Scriptures and to argue by them as he did in this place of Luke and not by strange reports which are the objects of vain credulity let them answer me by Scriptum est 1 Where is it written in all the old and new Testament that a Witch is a murtherer or hath power to kill by Witchcraft or to afflict with any disease or infirmity 2 Where is it written that Witches have Imps sucking of their bodies 3 Where is it written that Witches have biggs for Imps to suck on 4 Where is it written that the Devill setteth privy marks upon Witches whereby they should be known or searched out or that any man or woman hath any mark upon their body any more than natural or by some disease or hurt which is preternatural 5 Where is it written that the tryall of a Witch should be by sinking or swimming in the water or by biggs or privy marks or suspition of people to be signes of a Witch 6 Where is it written that Witches can hurt corn or cattell or transport corn by Witchcraft or can fly in the aire and do many such strange wonders 7 Where is it written that a Witch is such a man or woman that maketh a league with the Devill written with his or her blood and by vertue of that covenant to have the Devill at command 8 Where is it written that any man or woman was called in the Scripture strix or lamia or where is any word of such signification or importance either in the Hebrew text or in the Latin translation where is a Witch said in the Scriptures to be any such kind of person 9 What is a witch in the scripture sense according to Deu. 18.10 11 where all
A Candle in the Dark SHEWING The Divine Cause of the distractions of the whole Nation of ENGLAND and of the Christian WORLD That is the Lord doth Avenge the blood of the Innocent upon the Inhabitants of the Earth Iustitia Thronam firmat The King that faithfully judgeth the poor his Throne shall be established Prov. 29.14 This Book is profitable to bee read by all Iudges of Assizes before they passe the sentence of Condemnation against poor People who are accused for Witchcraft It is also profitable for all sorts of people to read who desire Knowledge By THOMAS ADY M. A. LONDON Printed for Robert Ibb'tson dwelling in Smithfield neer Hosier Lane End 1655. The Reason of the Book THe Grand Errour of these latter Ages is ascribing power to Witches and by foolish imagination of mens brains without grounds in the Scriptures wrongfull killing of the innocent under the name of Witches unto which Idolatry and bloud-guiltiness being as bad or worse than the Idolatry of the ancient Heathen men are led as violently by fond imagination as were the Ephesians to the worshipping of Diana and of the Image which as they blindly thought fell down from Jupiter Acts 19.35 It is reported by Travellers that some People in America do worship for a day the first living Creature they see in the morning be it but a Bird or a Worm this Idolatry is like the Idolatry of this part of the World who when they are afflicted in Body or Goods by Gods hand they have an eye to some Mouse or Bugg or Frog or other living Creature saying It is some Witches Impe that is sent to afflict them ascribing the Work of God to a Witch or any mean Creature rather than to God Mr. Scot published a Book called his Discovery of Witchcraft in the beginning of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth for the instruction of all Iudges and Iustices of those times which Book did for a time take great impression in the Magistracy and also in the Clergy but since that time England hath shamefully fallen from the Truth which they began to receive wherefore here is again a necessary and illustrious discourse for the Magistracy and other People of this Age where I intreat all to take notice that many do falsly report of Mr. Scot that he held an Opinion that Witches are not for it was neither his Tenent neither is it mine but that Witches are not such as are commonly executed for Witches A Candle in the Dark The First Book shewing what Witches are in the Scripture-sence throughout the Old and New Testament The Second Book shewing how grosly the Scriptures have been mis-interpreted by Antichrist concerning Witches by which interpretation he hath made the Nations go astray With a confutation of those Errours The Third Book touching some erroneous English Writers who have upheld the same Errours which Antichrist hath broaâ—hed to the world Also the Works of a Scotch-man called The VVorks of King Iames. With an addition of fifteen Causes also a reference to Scot and also the opinion of Luther concerning Devils Also an instruction to Lawyers Errata PAge 11. line 3. for Magnus read Magus p. 15. 1. 2â— for 6 Chron. r. 2 Chro. p 22. 1. 1. for Prophâ—ts r. Prophetâ—ss p 28. 1. 23 for magis r. magi p. 30. 1. 11. for inchâ—ntation r. incantation p. 38 1. 15. for little r. liâ—he 1. 19. for tax r. tap thrice in the same page in p 48. 1. 8. for Charms â— Charmer p. 76. 1. 33. for equivocâ—ely r equivocally p. 77. 1. 8. for Scopula r. Scapula over p 79. for Oracle giver r. â—outh sayer so over p. 87. Necromancer should not be The Second Book Pag. 92. 1. 5. for drew r. grew p. 96. 1. 10 for inquisitions r. inquisitors p. 106. 1. 8. tor superstitions r. suspicions p. 122. 1. 35 for quem r. quum p. 124. 1. 15. for an r. and p 129 1. 15. or preteâ—natual r preternatural p. 136. 1. 28. for any sort r. every other sort p. 145 1. 30 for discovered r. discoursed p. 146. 1. 36. for and by them cast on câ—n cure r. and by them can cast on or inflict and cure diseases p. 147. 1. 4. for send r. teach p. 170. 1 17 for endicat r. indicat Reader take notice that most of these faults are mended with Pen and Inke already TO THE Prince of the Kings of the Earth IT is the manner of men O heavenly King to dedicate their Books to some great men thereby to have their Works protected and countenanced among men but thou only art able by thy holy Spirit of Truth to defend thy Truth and to make it take impression in the heart and understanding of men Unto thee alone do I dedicate this Work intreating thy most High Majesty to grant That whoever shall open this Book thy holy Spirit may so possess their understanding as that the spirit of errour may depart from them and that they may read and try thy Truth by the touchstone of thy Truth the holy Scriptures and finding that Truth may embrace it and forsake these darksome inventions of Antichrist that have deluded and defiled the Nations now and in former Ages Enlighten the World thou that art the Light of the World and let Darkness be no more in the World now or in any future Age but make all people to walk as Children of the Light for ever and destroy Antichrist that hath deceived the Nations and save us the residue by thy self alone and let not Satan any more delude us for the Truth is thine for ever To the Reader SIR IF you be a courteous Reader I intreat you that what weaknesse and imperfections you shall think you espie in this Book from the Author thereof you passe them by for the Truths sake whereupon this Book treateth Secondly if you be so discourteous as to carp and censure then I intreat you to carp only at me and not at the Truth lest you resist the truth Thirdly I intreat you to Read my Book thorow before you cast it by for otherwise Sir it may argue weaknesse in your self to slight the Book before you see the Argument It is one of the vanities of the World to write many Books and when a man hath taken pains to write few men will take the pains to read which Solomon intimateth Eccle. 12.12 but Sir if you find no leasure to read and consider then I pray find no leasure to gainsay or to argue against Fourthly for all places of Scripture alledged in this Book if you shall search our English Translations and not find them to carry the sense which I drive at in my discourse I intreat you either to search the Originall or else to look upon the Latin Translations of Iunius and Tremellius which carry the true sense of the Originall as it was written by the Spirit of God Your Friend T. A. Non quis sed quid To the more Iudicious and Wise and Discreet part
sorts of witches are nominated by nine terms of description 10 Where is it written that there are any other sorts of Witches than such as are there described Deut. 18.10 11. 11 Where do we read of a he devill or a she devill called incubus or succubus that useth generation or copulation with Witches or VVitches with them 12 It is written Woe unto such as devour widdows houses and in a pretence make long prayers Matth. 23.14 13 It is written the Lord hateth the hand that sheddeth innocent blood and the fals witness that speaketh lies and the feet that are swift to do mischeif and a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations Pro. 6.17 18 19. 14 It is written shall there be evill in a City and the Lord hath not done it Amos. 3.6 15 It is written there is no God with me I kill and I make alive I wound and heal Deut. 32.39 and again the Lord killeth and maketh alive hee bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up the Lord maketh poore and maketh rich 1 Sam. 2.6 7. 16 It is written If ye were blind yee had had no sinne but now ye say ye see therefore your sinne remaineth Iohn 9.41 17 It is written Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve lies that they might be damned that beleeved not the Truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thes. 2.10 11 12. 18 It is written Thou shalt not raise a false report put not thy hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witnesse Exodus 23.1 19 It is written If ye any way afflict the widdow or the fatherlesse and they cry at all unto me I will surely hear their cry and my wrath shal wax hot and I will kill you with the sword and your wives shall be widdows and your children fatherlesse Exodus 22.23 24. 20 It is written God saw that the imaginations of the thoughts of mens hearts were only evill continually it repented the Lord that he had made man therefore he destroyed the old world Gen. 6.5 6 7. Therefore you that are of the sacred order of the ministry that do use to cry to the people give ear with fear and reverence to the word of God as it is written in the text how dare ye teach for doctrin the traditions of Antichrist that are not written in the Book of God Whether do not some preferre the mad imaginations of Cornelius Agrippa and others before the Scriptures for the defending their opinions So much for my Dilemma now for the Text. A Candle in the Dark SHEVVING The Divine Cause of the distractions of the whole Nation of ENGLAND and of the Christian World Deuteronomy 18.10 11. LEt the Reader take notice that in all the Scriptures there is not any kind of Witch spoken of but such as are mentioned in these two verses which that every one may understand I will expound punctually not according to our English obscure translations but according to the true meaning and signification of the originall text as it was written by Moses in the Hebrew tongue and as it is truely translated for the better and easier satisfaction of many that have not knowledge in the Hebrew tongue by Iunius and Tremellius in their Latin Bible whether also I referre the Reader for all places of Scripture alledged in this Book and here I do in Gods name and in Zeal for his truth desire and intreat him that thinketh himself the learnedst Clerk to shew mee in all the Scriptures such a word as Striges or lamiae or any word of that signification importing such doctrins as have a long time defiled the Nations Deut. 18.10 11. Let there not be found among you any that maketh his sonne or his daughter to passe thorow the fire a user of divinations a planetarian or a Conjecturer or a Jugler Also a user of charmes or one that seeketh an Oracle or a South-sayer or one that asketh counsell of the dead The Latin translation is this Ne invenitor in te qui traducat filium suum aut siliam suam per ignem utens divinationibus planetarius aut conjector aut praestigiator Item utens incantatione aut requirens pythonem aut ariolus aut necromantis The Hebrew Text. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And here is the Hebrew Text written in the Roman character with the construction of every word Lo jimatzae ne invenitor beca in te magnabir qui traducat beno filium suum uubitto aut filiam suam baese per ignem kosem kesamim divinans divinationes megnonen planetarius uumenachese aut conjector umechascscph aut praestigiator vechobhir chabher incantans incantatione vessoel ob requirens pythonem vejiddegnoni aut ariolus vedhorese el hamethim aut consulens mortuos so much for the Text. Exodus 22.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mechascscepha lo thechajeh praestigiatricem non sines vivere There is also another word Hartumim in Exodus 4.17 Gen. 41 8. and in other places which is taken in the generall sense for Magnus a Magician that hath one or all these crafts or impostures yet by many it is restrained to the particular and often translated Ariolus being the most allowed signification for Arioli were called Magi being counted wise men and therefore the word is used for all sorts of Magicians these and all other words in the Scriptures concerning Witches are consonant to the words in the Text. The Text opened THe Text is verbatim according to the Originall as it was written by Moses in the Hebrew tongue which I will expound orderly and here is to be noted that in these two verses are nine sorts of Witches nominated by God unto Moses and the people to this end and purpose that whereas God hath chosen the people of Israel to be a peculiar church and people to himself he would be their only Counsellor to keep them in the way of wisdome and holinesse and therefore commandeth them in no wise to aske counsell of any but the true prophets and messengers of God as appeareth in the 14. and 15. verses of this chapter and because there were so many sorts of people in the world that did commonly abuse and usurp the office of Gods Prophets God describeth them in the 10. and 11. verses of this chapter by nine severall nominations or descriptions commanding them to shun and avoyd them as false Prophets and deceivers of the people for it was the manner of the heathen to seek unto such for counsell the Lord having cast out those heathen people for such abominable ways giveth his own people warning of all such ways to avoid them not to hearken to them namely to those nine sorts of witches or deceivers or false prophets or seducers of the people from God and his prophets to lying Idolatrous waies giveth them warning in the three last verses of the same chapter of all false Prophets whatsoever
that should presumptuously take upon them to speak any thing in Gods name which God had not commanded or to speak in the name of other Gods that such should be slain and these nine appellations in the tenth and eleventh verses are not tearms of distinction but several terms of description whereby to discern false Prophets or Witches whom the Lord would have cut off from among his people and therefore the Lord describeth them in the tenth and eleventh verses sheweth the destruction of the Nations that hearkened to them in the 12 13 14. verses where also he commandeth his people to be holy and not like those Nations promiseth that his people should always have a true Prophet amongst them to hearken unto in the 15 16 17 18. verses which although it was fulfilled in Christ chiefly Acts 3.23 yet it is meant and also verified of all the rest of the Prophets that were successively Messengers of Christ from Moses till the coming of Christ in the Flesh commandeth them to hearken to such a Prophet in the nineteenth verse but for all false Prophets the Lord will have them cut off in the twentieth verse and setteth down a trial and a discerning rule between a true Prophet and a false Prophet that speaketh in Gods Name in the one and twentieth and two and twentieth verses as appeareth orderly in the chapter who so pleaseth to read it And now to come to the Exposition or Interpretation of these two verses Deut. 18.10 11. and of the nine appellations or descriptions therein contained And first for the first Let there not be found among you any that maketh his Son or his Daughter to pass through the fire this is the first description whereby God describeth a Witch or a false Prophet and in what manner this should be a description of a Witch or false Prophet that we may the better understand I must first define what a Witch is and then come to the matter The Definition of a Witch or a certain Demonstration what a Witch is for the vulgar capacity A Witch is a Man or Woman that practiseth Devillish crafts of seducing the people for gain from the knowledge and worship of God and from the truth to vain credulity or beleeving of lyes or to the Worshipping of Idols So likewise for the definition of Witchcraft WItchcraft is a Devillish craft of seducing the people for gain from the knowledge and worship of God and from his Truth to vain credulity or beleeving of lyes or to the worshipping of Idols That it is a Craft truly so called and likewise that it is for gain is proved Acts 16.16 19. the Maid that followed Paul crying brought in her Master much gain and that it is a craft of perverting the people or seducing them from God and his Truth is proved Acts 13.6 7 8. â—limas the Sorcerer laboured to pervert the Deputy from the Faith So likewise Acts 8.9 10 11. verses it doth more plainly prove all in these words And there was a man before in the City called Simon which used Witchcraft and bewitched the people of Samaria saying that he himself was some great man to whom they gave heed from the least to the greatest saying This man is the great power of God and gave heed unto him because that of long time he had bewitched them with Sorceries How bewitched them with Sorceries That is seduced them with Devillish crafts as the Greek and also Tremelius Latine Translation do more plainly illustrate in this sense speaketh Paul to the Galathians 3.1 O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth and that a Witch or Witchcraft is taken in no other sense in all the Scripture it appeareth by the whole current of the Scriptures as you may see in this Book But now to return to the Text. Deâ—â— 18.10 11. THe first description of a Witch in the Text is Let there not bee found among you any that maketh his Son or his Daughter to pass through the fire Here we must uote that there was in those days a great Idol of great request among the Heathen the name of which Idol was Molech and was first set up by the Ammonites 1 King 11.5 and by them called Milcom and from thence grew in request and defiled a great part of the world who were generally led after it to Idolatry insomuch that the Kings and Nobles of the earth did sometimes make their Sons and their Daughters pass through the fire in honour to that Idol as Manasses did 2 Chron. 33.6 and how that passing through the fire was or in what manner is questionable Some think they burnt them in the fire as Burnt-offerings to that Idol because it is said Deut. 12.31 they burnt their Sons and their Daughters in the fire to their gods and also in Psal. 106.38 But although that was one Grand Abomination amongst the Heathen sometimes to burn their Children in Sacrifice to their Idols upon some extraordinary request or Petition made to their Idols for the obtaining of some great matter which was also forbidden the people of Israel in that place of Deuteronomy 12.31 yet that is not the meaning of this place in Deut. 18.10 but only that they made them pass through the fire as an Idolatrous Ceremony whereby they dedicated them to their Idol Molech And this is the most allowable Exposition for otherwise they must have bereaved themselves of Children but we read that Manasses was not left childless for Ammon his Son reigned in his stead 2 Chron. 33.20 but yet in what manner soever it was that they made their Children to pass through the fire the scope and meaning of the text Deut. 18.10 is That they should not be Ring-leaders to Idolatry as in Levit. 20.5 whosoever did give his Children to Molech was to be slain with all that followed him in his Idolatry they that followed him to Idolatry were to be slain as Idolaters but he that gave his Children to Molech to make them pass through the fire is chiefly named here to be slain as a Ring-leader of other men to Idolatry and is in Deut. 18.10 reckoned amongst Witches according to the definition of a Witch afore-shewed Witches being in all the Scripture-sence only Seducers or inticers of the people to Spiritual Whoredom and here in the Text Moses speaketh Per Synecdocen of one Idol for all all one as if he had said Let none be found among you that is an inticer or ring-leader of the people to Idolatry in which sence all Idol Priests are Witches and are stiled so in common Scripture phrase 1 Sam. 6.2 the Philistims called their Priests and South-sayers together for the setting up or upholding of any Idol is the Grand Witch-craft of all and the very Mother of all other Witch-craft and it is most probable the Priests of Molech were first devoted to that service by using that Ceremony of passing through the fire and all that did in like
yet not a Witch but he that is a wilful upholder of Horesies or any vain unprofitable Doctrin only to draw people to a head to uphold his own gain and so for gain maketh the people to miss of the sincerity of Religion although he be no Impostor nor bringeth himself within the compass of the punishment due to a Witch from the Civil Magistrate because he doth not use impostures or any of the Nine Witchcrafts described in the text yet in his intent he maketh gain his end and perverteth souls in a smooth pretence of holiness I know not how his final intention differeth from the final intention of a Witch that is gain by seducingâ—the people nor whether he or a Witch shall have the greatest condemnation at the last day Acts 20.30 for it appeareth in vers 20. following the text that a false Prophet considered distinctly from the foresaid impostors is in the same Condemnation and the same with a Witch and ought to be censured by the Civil Magistrate to dye as a Witch meerly quatenus a false Prophet for although he bee described by his several impostures before in the text yet the bare using of impostures maketh not a Witch unless by them he be a false Prophet as is demonstrated more fully in the Fifth description so then the Formalis ratio of a Witch or that which maketh him to be a Witch is because he is a false Prophet so that it followeth that as every wilful false teacher or wilful upholder of Heresie or any vain unprofitable Doctrin to seduce the people for gain differeth not in his final intention from a false Prophet so by the same reason he differeth not from a Witch and although he cannot always be convicted by the Magistrate yet in Gods sight he is a very Witch Our English Translators not knowing the difference of the terms of description in the text by the several impostures therein implied according to the intent and meaning of the Scriptures have used words promiscuously one for another without expressing the true and full meaning of the Original so well as is exprest by Iunius and Tremelius in Latine as in Deut. 18.10 11. they call a Diviner a Witch and a South-sayer a Wizard expressing specifical descriptions by general words that may be as well given to any of the nine and in Exod. 22.18 they call a Jugler a Witch using the same general expression that they used before for one that useth Divination or a Diviner they call a Planetarian an observer of times a phrase more obscure than can imply the original meaning of the Scriptures they call a Conjecturer an Inchanter and they call an Inchanter a Charmer whereas in the Original and Latine Translations an Inchanter and a Charmer is all one term of description they call an Oracler one that hath a familiar Spirit and that may be as well given to any of the Nine terms in the text by the same reason that all Witches have a familiar spirit according to the common tenent though it cannot be proved that any had any otherwise than the spirit of error ruling in their hearts And 2 Chron. 33.6 there they call using Divinations observing of times which phrase they used before for a Planetarian and if we compare several English Translations wee may finde them much varying one from another in translating of those terms not but that they were good and able Linguists but not knowing the several impostures implyed in these original terms of description could not express them in such apt words in English as if they had known the mystery of iniquity according to the original sense and meaning Gen. 44.5 they translate it Is not this â—he cup by which my Master divineth Here they would make Witchcraft lawful for Divination is Witchcraft but the original sense is nothing so as they translate it look Tremeilius All this argueth that these our ancient Bishops and great Clerks knew not what Witchcraft was in the Scripture sense THE SECOND BOOK IT is manifest that the Scriptures were given by God for a rule for man in this depraved nature to walk by That whereas all Mankinde since the fall of Adam are naturally darkned in their understandings and averse from the truth of God the Scriptures might be a light unto us to lead us in the righteous way of Gods truth And now Christ Jesus the Light of the World in whom are fulfilled all the Divine Mysteries of the Scriptures is come into the world to enlighten the world and whereas before his coming the world sate in darkness and were wholly given to run after Idols and to be seduced by Idol-Priests who practised the several Witchcrafts described in the text Deut. 18.10 11. to seduce the people to Idolatry yet then at the coming and by the power of the coming of Christ who was manifested by Miracles and taught the people by his Spirit of Truth were all those ways of darkness discovered to the whole Word to be lying delusions tending to destruction as is prophesied by the Prophet Isa. Chap. 8. hee speaking of Witches and their delusions and the darksome errours and evils accompanying them from the nineteenth Verse to the end of the Chapter immediately in the two first Verses of the next Chapter he prophesieth of Christ the light of whose coming should destroy the ways of darkness in these words In the way of the Sea beyond Jordan Galile of the Gentiles the people that sate in darkness shall see great light and upon them that dwell in the Land of the shadow of death shall light shine forth and thus it was fulfilled at his coming The Nations that were given to Idolatry and seduced by false Prophets being Idol-Priests and deluding Witches were so enlightned that all Idolatrous delusions were discovered the Oracle of Apollo and of all Idols drew dumb Simon Magus and Elimas the Sorcerer and all bewitching false Prophets were confounded and all these Instruments of darkness grew out of request among the people being clearly discovereâ— that they were all Lyars and used lying delusions to deceive the Nations And notwithstanding this perfect rule of righteousness in the Old and New Testament written by the Prophets before the coming of Christ and at his coming finished by him and his Apostles yet such is the obstinacy of mans darksome nature that men will carry a Candle of their own in their hands even at Noon-day imagining they can by their own wisdom finde out truths that are not written in the Scriptures and that their Candle will enlighten them more than the beams of the Sun when it shineth forth in its full strength Like a silly Labourer that counting the day by a Pocket Watch whose Wheels being out of Kilter went too fast he had such a conceit of his Watch that he affirmed That the Sun in the skie went too slow for his Watch was known to be true Thus do men play with the Scriptures preferring Human traditions beyond
can do such impossibilities one of the most devillish cruelties that hath been devised among men and that is to keep the poor accused party from sleep many nights and days thereby to distemper their brains and hurt their fancies at length to extort confession from them and then to bring their own confession as an evidence against them and if they cannot make them confess they torture one of their little Children to make it accuse their Parents and that they call confession this trick will tame any wilde Beast and make it tractable or any wilde Hawk and make it tame and come to your fist how much more may it make men or women yeeld to confess Lyes and impossibilities And if that device will not serve then they shave them and search narrowly all parts of their bodies where they think modest men will not be forward to look to see the truth of the matter and there they report that they have found the Devils privie Marks and Biggs for the Devil to suck them a most devillish Lye and invention unless they can shew me Scripture for it but I can shew them Scripture against it Iob. 1.3 Without God was nothing made that was made who then made those Biggs or Teats and who made the bodies of those Devils called Imps Also what Scripture saith that Biggs or privie Marks are signs or trials of Witches yet I deny not but sometimes are found fleshy Warts and other preter-natural tumours written of by Physick Authors as diseases of the body and among other devices as Master Scot in his discovery affirmeth who was zealous for Gods truth and took more pains than ordinary to search and confute those impious Writers they have set down certain signs whereby to suspect and apprehend Witches which are these First If they will not fast on Fridays Secondly If they fast on Sundays Thirdly If they spettle at the time of Elevation Fourthly If they refuse Holy Water Fifthly If they despise Crosses Sixthly If they deny any of the seven Sacraments These are great suspicions that they are Witches for the Devil say they chooseth them by these signs being steps to the reformed Religion apprehend them bring them to the Tormentor but if they see any of these signs they will easily finde other holes enough in their Coates to condemn them Then they cast them into the water to see whether they will sink or swim a meer Jugling delusion to blinde peoples eyes for he that hath been used to the Art of Swimming may know that few men or women being tied hand and feet together can sink quite away till they be drowned or if he lay them flat on their back and hold up their feet with a string their fore-part will not sink and therein they can use Jugling to blinde the peoples eyes for difference sake for when they will save any man or woman they will let loose the string which they hold in their hand and let their feet sink first and then all their body will sink then they cry out to the people Look you now and see the difference betwixt an honest man or woman and a Witch take her out she is an honest woman yea verily for sometimes she is one of their own confederates Yet whereas some may object that some of them that are cast fairly into the water without holding up their feet with a string do sink more than others and some again do swim more than others although none do sink quite away without any part appearing above water The reason of this difference is easie to conceive to men of knowledge for First There is difference of constitution in peoples bodies some are heavie of temper and they sink most some again are more light of temper fuller of vital spirits and they sink not so much Secondly we must observe the Systole and Diastole of breathing some happen to fall into the water when their bodies are full of breath and they swim most some happen to fall into the water when their breath is out of their bodies before they can draw it up again and they sink most Some are kept long fasting in watching and torment and then are cast into the water when their bowels and veins are empty of food and filled with Wind and these swim more than those that are filled with nourishment or perhaps they are kept fasting so long that they have scarce any life left and then they happen to sink most but if they do it must not serve their turn for the cruel Inquisitor will still torment them till he extort confession if the party live long enough for his cruelty to take place Some again are Women cast into the water with their Coates tied close toward their feet and Men with their apparrel on and for this they pretend modesty but who knoweth not that their apparrel will carry them above water for a time Some again are Women whose bodies are dilated with bearing of Children and do always after remain spongiously hollow more apt to swim than to sink especially tied hands and feet together to bring their bodies into a round and apt fashion to swim They that are used to the Art of swimming in the water might easily discover these to be but Delusions and Juglings if they were not too credulous and yet with these hath poor England been bewitched and deceived as also with the former of keeping the accused from sleep till they confess and these delusions have been impiously acted here in England of late in Essex and Suffolk by a wicked Inquisitor pretending authority for it to the cutting off of fourteen innocent people at Chelmâ—ford Assizes and about an hundred at Berry Assizes whereof one was a Minister neer Fremingham of about fourscore years age wherein this Inquisitor hath laid such a president for the Popes Inquisition if times of Popish Tyranny should again come in from which God in his mercy defend us as would not easily be removed when although we have no Laws in England to try people upon Life and Death by any Inquisition or Inquisitor in that manner yet it may then bee said was it Law then when the Law was in your hands and is it not Law now but if such times of tyrannous Inquisition come do they that have had a hand in this president think they shall escape it or their Posterity There is already a president for killing of Ministers for Witches Also some credulous people hearing of the Condemnation of those people have published a Book wherein they report such impossibilities to be done by them as I hope no wise man will beleeve wherein also Hoy the Gaoler is brought in for a Witness a fellow that is not fit to bear the Office of a Gaoler nor any other Office in a Christian Common-wealth who also wanted Vails and thought the more Prisoners were executed the more he should gain and yet it is reported his Testimony was taken as an Evidence against them although
his testimony was partly of impossibilities partly meer prevarications and lyes to the dis-honour of Gods Majesty and the shedding of innocent bloud But seeing then this miserable Massacre of people throughout the Christian World hath been but a trick of Antichrist to blinde the World that thereby he might the more easily and quietly destroy the Church under the name of Witches Surely if good Christians have been destroyed in this impious way then thousands of the Souls of such are now under the Altar Revel 6.9 10. crying How long Lord holy and true will it be ere thou avenge our bloud upon them that dwell upon the earth being some of them the very people that have been destroyed for the Word of God and for the testimony of the truth and therefore have been brought into these murderous Inquisitors hands And although it may be said These in England have not been slain for the testimony of the truth yet I answer The Church standeth for the testimony of the truth and this persecution was invented against the Church and so they as Members of the Church have been slain by the enemies invention for had they been of that Popish crew and fighters against the Church those wrongful accusations had not been brought against them by them But it may be said Some of these were Scoulds and Brawlers therefore their Souls are not under the Altar I answer yea and many honest Livers that have been executed in that kinde lately and in times past but whatsoever they were if they were unjustly slain know that if God would avenge the bloud of Cain will he not avenge the bloud of these Before the destruction of Germany that Nation was so deluded by these Popish errours that they put to death thousands in that kinde of all sorts and that Nation was so carried away with that darksome Idolatrous opinion of Witches power that seldom came any thing cross but some were accused to have occasioned it as Witches and at last God sent destroying Plagues among them and their hearts were so hardened that they digged the dead out of the Graves to cut off their Heads to stay the Plague so blinde were they and so given over that rather than they would acknowledge Gods hand in all things they would say the dead in their Graves by the Devils help brought the plague and some Physicians among them were so bold to affirm it for truth who although they might be some way approved in Physick yet besides their horrible Atheism they shewed their silliness and it may be said of them as of many ignorant Physicians Inscitiae pallium maleficium incantatio A Cloak for a Physicians ignorance when he cannot finde the reason and the nature of the Disease he saith the Party is bewitched this hath indeed been written of by some worthy Authors but how and in what manner Senertus Lib. 4. de febribus cap. 2. he being loath to defile his pen with such an impious opinion saith I had rather refer the Reader to the writing of another man Hercul Saxoniae Lib. de plica cap. 11. than bring my self upon the Stage for broaching of such an opinion where also you may read the words of Herc. Saxon. aforesaid and hee shuffleth it off to Ioh. Vesino Leopoliensi as an opinion of his and he like an Atheist did indeed own that opinion That in Pelonia and Germany Witches after their execution and burial did commonly send destroying pestilence I think indeed the executing of so many innocent poor people did bring the Pestilence and the Sword and Famine all against them because they provoked God with their own inventions tending not only to Idolatry in imputing the Work of the Creator to a Creature but also to the shedding of innocent bloud Master Scot in his Discovery telleth us That our English people in Ireland whose posterity were lately barbarously cut off were much given to this Idolatry in the Queens time insomuch that there being a Disease amongst their Cattel that grew blinde being a common Disease in that Country they did commonly execute people for it calling them eye-biting Witches Great Britain hath been much infected with that Atheism and many people both in England and Scotland have been by foolish false accusations put to death for doing such things as are not in the power of men or of Devils to do but only of the Creator And before these Wars began what Atheistical reports were published of certain Lancashire people that they could transform themselves into Grey-hounds and into Men and Women again and pull down Butter and other provision from the Air or from whence any crack-brained accuser would imagine When King Chaerls went last to Scotland before these Wars as he came back again sayling over the River Humber the Vessel in which his Plate was carried was reported to be cast away and then was that Atheism so great even at the very Court of England that they reported Witches had done it instead of observing Gods supream Providence whereas Christ saith A Sparrow shall not fall to the ground without Gods providence since which we have had bloudy Wars and where is the Court now and now of late hath been in the year one thousand six hundred forty five that great slaughter of Men and Women called Witches at the Assizes at â—erry and at Chelmsford those poor accused people were watched day and night and kept from sleep with much cruelty till their Fancies being hurt they would confess what their Inquisitors would have them although it were a thing impossible and flat contrary to sense and Christian understanding to beleeve where for the removing of Objections it is to be noted That a Fancy so hurt with watching cannot afterward of a long time recant or deny that which they have confessed no more than a Hawk throughly tamed by watching can grow speedily wilde again although you give them their full sleep this manner of extorting confession and seeming to convict them being but ameer Jugling Trick invented by the Pope and their Trial in that kinde being Jugling Witchcraft it self that may make the wisest man confess any thing though never so false What troubles have followed this Slaughter blinde men may see A little before the Conquest of Scotland as is reported upon good intelligence the Presbytery of Scotland did by their own pretended authority take upon them to Summon Convent Censure and Condemn people to cruel death for Witches and as is credibly reported they caused four thousand to be executed by Fire and Halter and had as many in prison to be tried by them when God sent his conquering Sword to suppress them by occasion of which Wars there were many Ministers whereof many were Presbyters slain What is become of their Presbyterian Authority now Yet because there are some that slighting these observations will hardly be beaten from this conceit of Witches power which they have so long beleeved and will not yet think but that Witches have
a familiar spirit by whose help they kill and act strange Wonders tell me where is a place in all the Scripture that saith so shew me in all the Scriptures such a word as Striges lamiae Incubus and Succubus or any word of such signification or importance what were Pharaoh his Magicians but deluders of Pharaoh and the People could they by the help of Satan do any thing truly were they real Miracles did not their madness come to light 2 Tim. 3.9 what spirit had the Maid that followed Paul Act. 16.16 which is said to have the spirit of Python was it more than a cousening spirit of Divination for gain yet still you will say the word Python hath been interpreted by many one that had a familiar spirit imagine they had a familiar spirit although it is but a weak Argument to ground an opinion upon the bare signification of a word except you will have it a seducing lying spirit such a one as was in Ahabs Prophets yet I say answer me these Four Questions First Tell we where a Witch did or could kill a man in Scripture What did Saul go to the Pythonist of Endor for was it that she might help him kill the Philistians or meerly for Augury or Divination what did Pharaoh call his Witches the Magicians before him for was it to kill any Man or Beast by their cunning or meerly to work lying Wonders and dissemble the Miracles that God wrought by Moses so that they might withstand Moses and the truth and blinde Pharaohs eyes because God would harden his heart tell me where you finde in all the Scriptures that a Witch did or could kill a man by Witchcraft shew me in all the Law of Moses concerning the condemning of men or women for Murther that a Murtherer was called a Witch or a Witch a Murtherer Deut. 19. and other places of Scripture are there not several Rules set down for the trying of Murther shew me one that intimateth the Witching of Men or Cattel to death Secondly Shew me in all the Scriptures where Witches are spoken of that a Witch was a secret person or unknown to the World that should need to be tried by blinde circumstances and presumptions and suspicious or by privie Marks or by Teats or Biggs by sinking or swimming or by confessions were not Pharaohs Witches called Praestigiatores magi openly known did not Pharaoh call them together without privie search or inquiry did not Saul banish all the Witches as people openly known and professing the Art of Augury and their several cousening practices when Saul inquired for a Witch did not his servants presently tell him there was one at Endor was she not known without privie search or prime marks Did not the Maid in the Acts that was said to have the spirit of Python or to be a Pythonist follow Paul crying openly did not Simon Magus act his Delusions openly to seduce the people as likewise Elimas the Sorcerer were not the Witchcrafts of Iezabel known to be her delusions that she wrought by the Priests of Baal to seduce the people were not the Witchcrafts of Manasses open actions that made Iuda and Ierusalem to go astray where then do we read of a Witch by suspicion or to be tried by presumptions or suspicions or privie marks or other signs that are mans invention whence came this darkness and blinde errour but from the Pope that grand Witch that hath bewitched all Nations we search for Witchcrafts and abominations in a poor womans wooden dish and Christ telleth us they are all in a cup of Gold in the hand of the great Whore Revel 17.4 Thirdly Shew me in all the Scriptures where Witchcraft went without Idolatry Isa. 19.3 and had not a necessary dependance on Idolatry Nahum 3.4 Look again Deut. 18.10 11. where all sorts of Witches are spoken of why were they to be cut off and destroyed the reason is immediatly given vers 14. because they defiled the Nations in seducing them unto Spiritual VVhoredom and the Nations were destroyed for seeking and making inquiry after their Divinations or South-sayings or Oracles whereas inquiries ought to be to Gods Prophets vers 15. Was not this Sauls Idolatry when he sought to the Witch of Endor 1 Chro. 10. 13 14. was not this the sin of Manasses where he is blamed for using Witchcrafts when he made Iuda and Ierusalem go astray to Idols 2 Chron. 33.9 were not the Witchcrafts and VVhoredoms of Iesabel set down as two inseparable companions her Witchcraft being the upholding of the Idol Priests of Baal that by Witchcraft seduced the people to Idolatry were not Pharaohs Magicians seducers of Pharaoh and the people from God was not Simon Magus the like but alas how and where have those poor souls that are commonly hanged for Witches seduced the people to Idolatry who hath been led after them for Divinations and Southsayings many indeed have been led after Southsayers but they are termed good Witches and whereas they as Witches ought to dye many have been put to death by their devillish false accusations and if the Witch of Endor were now living amongst us we should call her a good VVitch so blinde are the times Fourthly Shew me in all the Law of God against Adulterous uncleaneness where Moses writeth of several kindes of uncleaneness as man with man man with beast woman with beast and many more the least intimation of uncleanness by Incubus or Succubus what did Moses forget this Yet because this opinion hath been so upheld by reports and imaginations and by the extorted confession of people that have been condemned in that kinde and sometime by the voluntary confession of despairing melancholly people that have been troubled in minde and wish rather to dye than to live although Volenti mori non est adhibenda fides Yet I intreat you to run over these several places of Scripture with me a little and see how his opinion of VVitches power agreeth with the Scriptures yea how flat contrary it is to Gods Word and the grounds of our Christian faith Yet first because some men will not understand the Scriptures in any other sense than as their own Expositors have done be it right or wrong therefore I refer them that will seek farther than the Scriptures to the words of a general Counsel which Mr. Scot in his Discovery hath alleged as followeth Concil Acqui in decret 26. the words of the Council It may not be omitted that certain wicked VVomen following Satans provocations being seduced by the illusion of the Devil beleeve and profess that in the night time they ride abroad with Diana the Goddess of the Pagans or else with Herodias with an innumerable multitude upon certain Beasts and pass over many Countries and Nations in the silence of the night and do whatsoever these Ladies or Fairies command c. let all Ministers therefore in their several Cures preach to Gods people so as they may know all those things to
and Flouds acting as a man and so in Mat. 4. Luke 4. the Devil tempting of Christ is introduced in the story as speaking like a man this is used sometimes in Parables as in Iob from the seventh verse of the first Chapter to the twelfth also Chap. 2. the six first verses and in Gen. 3.1 1 King 22.21 in these and many places by this Figure speaking and discoursing verbally and Human action is ascribed to such as it doth not properly belong so that it appeareth to those that rightly understand that this objection also is of no force but yet still for those that are obstinate I say let them prove a League or Covenant by the Scriptures between the Devil and a Witch or that the Devil hath power or permission to perform such a Covenant if made Eighthly Some again will object and say If Witches cannot kill and do many strange things by Witchcraft why have many confessed that they have done sucâ— Murthâ—rs and other strange matters whereof they have been accused To this I answer If Adam and Eve in their innocency were so easily overcome and tempted to sin how much more may poor Creatures now after the Fail by perswasions promises and threatnings by keeping from sleep and continual torture be brought to confess that which is false and impossible and contrary to the faith of a Christian to beleeve Some indeed have in a melancholly distraction of minde confessed voluntarily yea and accused themselves to bee Witches that could do and had done such strange things and wonders by the help of the Devil but mark well their distemper and you shall finde that they are deeply gone by infirmity of body affecting the minde whereby they conceit such things as never were or can be as is often proved by experience among Physicians many of those dying in a very short time although they be not put to death except they be cured by the Physician and truly if such Doctrins had not been taught to such people formerly their melancholly distempers had not had any such objects to work upon but who shall at last answer for their confession but they that have infected the mindes of common people with such devillish doctrins whereby some are instigated to accuse their poor Neighbours of impossibilities contrary to the Scriptures and some drawn to confess lyes and impossibilities contrary to Christian light And indeed vain and fickle are the mindes of such disputants who do first of all father their vain opinions upon the Scriptures pretending that they are undoubted truths grounded upon the Scriptures saying Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live but being shewed their errours how they wrest the Scriptures will rather forsake the Scriptures which are the rule of righteousness then forsake their Opinions and will beleeve confession against the Scriptures Some men will yet yeeld thus farre that these Confessions of poor accused people do many times extend to impossibilities and that they verily beleeve that the Devil deludeth these people making them beleeve that he bringeth to pass such things as they require him to do which yet would come to pass by Divine providence Some again do so Idolize the Devil as that they affirm that these things are real and do withall cry out Great is the power of the Devil and yet for any of these Opinions can produce no Scriptures to prove them but only Confessions and although those Confessions are sometimes â—xtorted sometimes voluntary in poor melancholy or distracted people sometimes in wicked people who delight to make the world wonder at lyes or impossibilities though it be to their own confusion they being given over by God and so the Devil seeing his opportunity instigateth them to be his Instruments to uphold all lying Diabolical Doctrins so that no true beleeving Christian but may discern that all theâ—e Confessions are from the Devil the Father of lyes yet I say Suppose with these Confession-mongers that these Confessors are deluded by Satan to think they do such things by the help of the Devil yet where do we read in Scripture that such are Witches who are deluded by Satan or that such should be slain or put to death we read indeed that Witches were all sorts of deluding false Prophets but not such as were deluded by Satan Secondly If you will still affirm that their Confessions are real truths and not delusions but that they do indeed bid the Devil do such things which as yee say he doth yet how can yee prove it by Scripture where is any such description of a Witch in the Scripture but surely it is most horrible devillish forsaking of the Scriptures to beleeve that there is any truth at all in these Confessions and such people as are thus seduced by Satan to lying Confession ought rather to be taught better knowledge than to be slain in their ignorance and perish altogether for lack of knowledge but it is and hath been the manner of these latter Ages for a Minister to go to such and instead of instructing them whereby they might become instruments of saving their souls they urge them to lying Confessions and so do as much as they can to send the spirit of errour into them to their confusion yea and for the most part these men who uphold their errours by the Confessions of these poor accused people do altogether mis-interpret their Confessions for the upholding of such lyes for the broaching whereof they have formerly mis-interpreted and belyed the Scriptures for let but any man that is wise and free from prejudice go and hear but the Confessions which are so commonly alleged and he may see with what catching and cavelling what thwarting and lying what flat and plain Knavery these Confessions are wrung from poor innocent people and what monstrous additions and multiplications are afterward invented to make the matter seem true which yet is most damnably false and flat against Christian light and human reason to beleeve And for such as can hardly beleeve that Melancholy or distemper of body and troubled phantasie can cause people to imagine things so really as to confess them to their own destruction though most false and impossible set them but consider the late example of a grave Minister about the Isle of Ely who by a troubled phantasie was so deluded or rather did so delude himself by weakness of Phantasie and imagination as he reported that an Angel told him that the Judgement Day should be upon the next Friday by which report many of the Inhabitants were much troubled till the day was over if then a grave Minister may be mis-led by Phantasie and distempered minde how much more plain common people who have such Accusations brought against them as are sufficient to break their brains Further I say that if the man of sin spoken of in the second to the Thessalonians chap. 2. had not broached these errours to the world these Confessors had had no such lying imaginations to confess for
cause them to provoke God to anger and to strike them in his displeasure and this is the Doctrin we ought to learn by the History of Balaam yea this is the only Witchcraft that is summarily included in all the Nine tearms of Description Deut. 18.10 11. being the discourse of my first Book and to shew any proof of any sort of Witches in the Scriptures I challengeall Witchmongers yet some will forsake the Scriptures and confute me strongly with a repetition of some of Bodins lyes or the like Stories telling them for truth But for all such as do still labour by Objections Cavils Inventions and Imaginations to uphold the old Traditions and Errours of that grand Witch the Pope and his Train concerning Witches and their Power and not rather to cleanse the world from these Doctrins of Devils let them take heed that the saying belongeth not to them that Stephen spake to the Jews Acts 7.51 Yee stif-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears yee do always resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did so do yee As it is written 2 Thes. 2.10 11 12. because yee received not the love of the truth that yee might be saved for this cause God hath sent you strong delusiâ—ns that you should beleeve a lye that they all might be damned who beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness A Conclusion HE that groundeth his Opinion upon Phansie and Human traditions and reports without light and rule of the Scriptures is like a man groping in the dark who for want of light rusheth his face against the door But if any man will forsake blinde imaginations and be guided by the light and rule of the Scriptures he shall finde by them that Witches are only false Prophets who used several deluding impostures to deceive the people according to the whole Discourse of the first Book of this Treatise and these were not poor men and women such as are commonly executed for that falsly-imputed Crime of Witchcraft but were open practicers of their several Witchcrafts to delude and seduce and those had not their Craft from a Familiar or by making a League with the Devil as hath been commonly imagined but were in a manner learned and used Books written for that purpose to teach them their manifold impostures whereby to gain a maintenance among the people by making them beleeve they were Prophets as wee may read Acts 19.19 many of them being converted by the powerfull preaching of the Gospel brought their Books and burnt them before the people these Books containing such subtile devices as were practised then by the false Prophets or Witches of the time to deceive the people and now adays by the Popish Rout and by our common Wizzards But now for the thousands of people that have been executed for Witches in several parts of the World by the common manner of fond false accusations at whose hands will God require their bloud but at the hands of the Whore of Rome and of those that have joyned with her in her abominations Revel 18.24 In her was found the bloud not only of Saints but of all that were slain upon the earth This doubtless must be understood of those that are unjustly slain and who are they but such as are slain by wrongful accusations which wrongful accusations are occasioned by the devillish Doctrins wherewith she hath defiled the Nations Further I say That this Doctrin of Witches power is the main strength of Antichristian policy for whereas that Romish Whore knoweth that in all Nations the Civil Magistrate will hold his power and not resign it to her to have absolute power to kill for Religion she maintaineth this damnable Doctrin to this end that under the name of Witches she may melt away all whom she feareth or suspecteth will be opposers of her Antichristian pride and herein she ingageth the Civil Magistrate by her subtill Doctrin to cut off whom she pleaseth and how can that be said to be a Government for the defence of peoples Lives and Estates where contrary to all Law these Villains can steal away both life and estate from whom they please except from such as are in places of Dignity or so well esteemed in Common-wealths or have such friendship among the potent of the Land that thereby they are able to withstand their Adversaries and these poor accused people have no redress or help at the hands of the Magistrate but he who ought to be their Defender is bewitched and ingaged against them he is taught indeed not to suffer a Witch to live but never truly taught who and what are Witches and that many times they that ingage him by their lying Doctrin are the very Witches themselves aimed at in the Scriptures that ought not to be suffered to live THE THIRD BOOK SHEWING The vanity of some English VVriters concerning VVitches BOdinus Hyperius Hemingius and other Popish Bloud-suckers mentioned before in the Second Book of this little Treatise having defiled the World with their abominable inventions contrary to the sense and truth of Gods Word their devillish Doctrins being already declared sufficiently to be wholly dissonant to the Word of God yet some of our English Writers who otherwise might seem to have been wise and learned men have defiled their Pens with these groundless Phantastical Doctrins which VVriters are briefly these The first is Iames Bishop of Winton setting forth three Books called Daemonology in the name and title of the Works of King Iames and whether the Bishop or the King were the Composer of that Work I stand not to argue which VVorks are collected out of these Popish Writers before mentioned which the Author acknowledgeth in the Preface to his Book where he alledgeth Bodinus Hyperius and Hemingius for confirmation of the truth of the matter contained in his VVorks but not a jot of Scripture is produced in all the VVork if rightly interpreted to prove it to be truth and yet the Author himself confesseth of Bodinus that his Book of Daemonomanie is collected with greater diligence than composed with judgement and truly I wish every wise man that desireth to be resolved in his judgement concerning these Opinions to observe that passage or if he be such a one as can read and search the severall Writers of this subject of Witchcraft let him observe the variety of their Opinions how few of them do agree in one tenent or in their manner of writing by which it is easily concluded that all their traditions are but Phantsies contrary to the sound of Gods Word even as a wise Judge examining several Witnesses of one thing if he findeth not their testimony to agree he concludeth that they compacted together to witness a thing false and truly although wise and learned men have been deluded by these lying inventions yet compare but their Opinions one with another and also with Holy Writ and you shall finde that all their Opinions are but one monstrous Devil striving
to get the mastery of the Spirit of truth and whether this Work was either composed by King Iames or by the Bishop may be very well suspected or rather by some Scotish man blinded by some Scotish Mist who desired to set forth his own Tenents for the upholding of Popish errours and Popish Writers sufficiently confuted before by Scot in his Discovery of Witchcraft he not being able any whit to answer Scot in his Discourse laboureth to uphold false Tenents and Doctrins by the authority of a King because he could not finde any thing in the Scriptures to uphold them or to answer Scot as wee may read in the Preface that his whole aime is at Scot whom he falsly chargeth with the Tenent and Affirmation That there is no such thing as Witchcraft whereas Scot in all his whole Book saith no such thing but only that Witchcraft is a craft of deceiving and seducing the people and not of killing and making barren and raising Winds and such like Inventions he that readeth that Preface and seeth how Scot is first and chiefly aimed at in the whole Work might presently expect that in the Work he should finde Scot notably confuted or at the least in some way answered but reading over the VVork he shall finde not one thing or other answered at all but only a bare affirmation of such Tenents without any ground or warrant of the Scripture which Tenents were confuted by Scot by the Scriptures so that for any man to answer that Work of the Author at large were only to do that which Scot hath already done in confuting Bodinus and others and whereas this Author pretendeth a refutation of Scot he hath done nothing else but written again the same Tenents that Bodinus and others had before written and were by Scot confuted like an obstinate Disputant that rather than he will not hold his Argument though never so foolish he will deny the Conclusion One Disputant wisely and plainly proveth that a thing is and the other foolishly saith still it is not or one proveth that a thing is not and the other foolishly still saith it is by which way of arguing a childe may hold an Argument against a learned Doctor though never so false Yet for the answering of the Tenents of this Author in that Work First he saith in his first Book as also in the Preface That Witches can by the help of the Devil cause to be brought unto them all kindes of dainty Dishes for their delicious maintenance and yet say I how many poor lean starved people have been executed in several places for Witches and for the truth of this Doctrin he bringeth no place of Scripture to prove it but only affirmeth it to bee true for these reasons First The Devil is a Thief and delighteth to steal Secondly He is a Spirit and therefore can subtilly and suddenly transport the same from whence and whither hee will by which way of argument rejecting the Scriptures a man may affirm for truth any vain imagination be it as absurd as this former as that the Devil is a Thief and therefore hath a Mountain of Gold which he hath taken out of every mans Purse and heaped up in Hell which he being a Spirit hath easily transported from the earth and therefore are so many men hastening to Hell because there is abundance of Gold But if such foolish Arguments as these were of any force what need then any Scripture to teach us the truth But if we examine the truth of this Doctrin by the Scriptures it will prove for want of ground in Scripture very phantastical and in opposition to the truth of the Scriptures very blasphemous for hereby we should yeeld still that what was done by the Angel of God in miraculous manner bringing food to Elijah 1 King 19.6 may be done by the Devil bringing variety of food to them that serve him and whereas God by a Miraculous hand brought his people through a barren Wilderness and fed them in that Wilderness the same thing might as well have been done by the Devil who saith he can bring his servants all manner of dainty dishes This that is already written were enough to disable and make voyd all the three Books of Daemonologie written by this Author but yet for the satisfaction of such as will expect a Methodical answer I will begin with his Works in order as they stand and in brief shew the vanity of them as for example he saith in his Epistle to the Reader Sorcery and VVitchcraft are different from Magick and Necromancy and yet in the first Chapter of the Second Book he saith the Maid spoken of in the sixteenth of the Acts was a VVitch because she had the spirit of Python and yet we finde in the Scripture that they that had the spirit of Python were also Necromancers how then can this distinction hold that VVitchcraft differeth from Necromancy for by that distinction a Pythonist were a VVitch and a Necromancer not a VVitch yet what was the Pythonist of Endor but a Necromancer pretending to consult with the dead and Necromancy was the pretence of all that were said to have the spirit of Python that was that they consulted with the Souls of the dead as in Plutarch and also in holy VVrit as in Isa. 8.19 it is manifest in any Tongue but our English which in Tremellius translation is to this sense for when they shall say unto you Ask counsel of those that have the spirit of Python or the imposture of Oracling and of South-sayers should not a people ask counsel of their God Shall they ask counsel of the dead for them that are living so then it is plain this distinction is wholly dissonant from Scripture and that this Author wrote not according to Scripture but by phantasy and imagination And now for his First Book and the whole discourse of it he layeth this foundation he produceth these places of Scripture to prove that there is such a thing as Witchcraft and Witches Exod. 22.18 1 Sam. 15.23 Acts 8. Acts 16. and here he never searcheth the sense and meaning of these Scriptures but proveth that Witches are which thing no man denyeth and yet mark but his proofs Exod. 22.18 which is taken for a Jugler or one that worketh false Miracles to deceive and seduce in the same sense is to be understood Acts 8.9 10. concerning Simon Magus who was a Jugler and Magician Jugling being one main part of Magick in the Scripture discourse such were Pharaohs Magicians which Magicians this Author distinguisheth from Witches and yet would prove by these places that there is such a thing as Witchcraft and Witches so likewise 1 Sam. 15.23 Rebellion is as the sin of Divination from hence hee would prove Witchcraft also and yet his distinction denieth that Necromancers whose main drift was to give Divinations by consulting with the dead are Witches and this is the sum of his first Chapter where any wise man
may see how he hath lost himself in proving and not able to prove that which is easily proved and that which no man denieth That there is such a thing as Witches and Witchcraft for all the rest of his Discourse in his first Book it is to prove that there are Magicians and Necromancers which thing no man denieth according to the Scriptures but though this be a true Conclusion yet it ariseth not from his proofs before mentioned according to his own distinctions for he produceth those proofs only to prove that there are Witches which yet he distinguisheth from Magicians and Necromancers how vainly then doth he raise from these proofs a discourse of Magicians and Necromancers And furthe r in all this Discourse he writing only according to his own imaginations without grounds in the Scriptures or in Arts and Sciences he runneth into gross absurdities as in the third Chapter that Judicial Astrologie is attained by Circles and Conjurations raising of Spirits to resolve their doubts which sheweth how little reading he had in that Science and in the fourth Chapter he bringeth in healing by Charms and Stones and Herbs as if by his method they were a part of Astrologie and not only in that hath he shewed his weakness but in reckoning Stones and Herbs among Magick Charms In the Fifth Chapter he saith Magicians conjure the Devil in a Circle and if they miss the least circumstance the Devil breaketh into the Circle and carrieth quite away Body and Soul and yet saith a little before in the same Chapter that the Devil having prescribed that form of doing that he may seem to be commanded thereby will not pass the bounds of those injunctions Circles In the sixth Chapter he talketh That they make a League with the Devil written with their bloud and so learn of him to play Jugling Tricks and Tricks upon the Cards and Dice in which also he sheweth himself but a silly Gamester in thinking such Tricks cannot be played without a League with the Devil and yet by his distinctions and by his whole Discourse he saith these Magicians though in league with the Devil are no Witches which is contrary to the general Tenent that ever was of his own Sect that is where such a League was made it made a Witch but to speak the truth the ill coherence of the Writings of his and all other Writers of that sort sheweth that they have no ground but Phantsy and Fiction for any league or transaction with the Devil either by Magician or Witch to use his own distinction though senceless either in Scripture or Human reason guided by the Scripture and this is the whole scope of his first Book In the First Chapter of his Second Book he refuteth himself and plainly confesseth though dully that all his former proofs of Scripture concerning Witches were to bee understood only of Magicians and not of Witches but saith he Though that be true yet the Law of God speaketh of Magicians Inchanters Diviners Sorcerers and Witches and whatsoever of that kinde that consult with the Devil but doth not say where the Law speaketh so nor where such are said to consult with the Devil but letteth it pass for granted which yet I will grant thus farre the Law of God speaketh of Magicians Inchanters Diviners and Sorcerers but not of Witches distinct from these for these were Witches in all the Scripture-sence and Diviners were Magicians and Magicians were Sorcerers and Inchanters were Witches and so were all the rest but still mark how he laboureth to produce some proofs beyond all this whereby he would make a Witch somewhat he cannot tell what distinct from Magicians Diviners Inchanters and Necromancers for saith he the Maid that followed Paul crying Acts 16. was a Witch whose spirit of Divination was put to silence saith he and she was a Witch because she did not raise the Devil but hee spake by her tongue publickly and privately and that by her consent and this is his ultimate proof of a Witch which I grant she was a Witch but why distinct from the rest what was she more than a Diviner and the Scripture saith she had the spirit of Python which was a spirit of lying Prophecie or Divination and saith he she was a Witch because the Devil spake by her tongue and that by her consent as if he spake not by the tongue of all Diviners Inchanters Pythonists South-sayers Necromancers and all false Prophets and that by their consent she was a Witch saith he because she raised not the Devil but yet say other Writers of his Sect they are Witches that raise the Devil and she had been a Witch if she had raised the Devil and he himself in his seventh Chapter saith Devils are made commonly to appear by Witchcraft from these grounds in Scripture which are all spoken of Deceivers and false Prophets according to the whole discourse of my first Book which indeed were Witches in the Scripture-sense though weakly discovered by this Author he goeth on presumptuously in the second and third Chapters to say that Witches are such as do compact with the Devil and in great number meet in Houses and Churches and adore the Devil in Pulpits and learn of him to do mischief and do render account at their several meetings what mischief they have done for his service and to kisse his hinder parts for adoration and this is all the scope of his second and third Chapters without any tittle of proof from Scripture but only confession of Condemned people which is no proof being contrary to Scripture and reason and all Circumstances considered is no Confession for as he dully argueth in his first Chapter that because they are loath to confess without Torture therefore they are guilty we may argue the contrary they therefore are not guilty their Confession being extorted which Confession yet he would argue to be true because saith he the Devil was worshipped among the Heathen and gave Oracles and Responses and was honoured with bloudy Sacrifice and gave Divinations by the intrals of Beasts But although these things were done by Heathen people that worshipped Idols and had Oracles and Responses from their Idol Priests which were the Witches and false Prophets of the times and in that sence might be said to worship the Devil as in 1 Cor. 10.19 20. because the Devil was in the Idols or rather in their Priests and so by them wrought delusions under the mask of Idols yet what consequence is here that because the Devil was in this sence worshipped publickly by Idolaters that therefore he is now privately worshipped by the great Conventions and Assemblies of Witches or where do we read in Scripture that Witches were such as did meet to worship the Devil they were indeed such as seduced people to worshipping of Idols by the delusions of the Devil ruling in their hearts And in the fourth Chapter he saith that VVitches can be transported in the Air by the Devils help
there and Night-birds shall hop there and a Dragon shall cry in their desolate Palaces and the Serpent in their pleasant· Temples Tremellius in his Marginal Notes saith Terrisicum animal id est draco Those were all only such Creatures as do commonly inhabit desolate places The Prophet speaking in the former verse of desolation that should come upon the Land and indeed the Devil hath least to do in desolate places and is most busied where people are most but had Zim and Iim been the proper names of Devils it had not made any thing to the purpose to prove that the Devil walketh up and down in corporal appearance for it is said Revel 2.13 that the Devil dwelt at Pergamus and yet it is not meant that he was there seen at all to appear in any shape but was there in the hearts and works of wicked men but such is the manner of all that are tainted with Popish Tenents that they would have people conceive of the Devil that he is some ugly terrible Creature to look upon some black man with a pair of Horns on his head and a Cloven Foot and a long Tayl or some monstrous Beast that inhabiteth in Woods and walketh about in the night to scare people and this doctrin is maintained by Popish Writers least people should discern that the Devil is in all their Popish Doctrins and actions and in the hearts of all Popish seducers and deceivers of the world Further in this his Third Book he talketh of Incubus and Succubus as if it were an undoubted truth that the Devil lyeth commonly with Witches of both Sexes having copulation with them but for this he hath not the least Scripture nor the least seeming Argument but only constrained extorted belyed nullified Confession of poor condemned people which is the only Argument for all the devillish Tenents of all Writers of this sort and yet they begin with Scripture saying Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live and upon this they raise a long discourse contrary to all Scripture and truth and possibility all which they will father upon the Scriptures and yet when they are pinched by dispute to prove their Tenents by Scripture they fly off to confession this confession I say is in all the discourse of this Author his only Argument which is no Argument and yet he pretendeth his discourse to be grounded on the Scriptures and in that pretence in his last Chapter he concludeth his whole discourse with the Law of God saying Therefore these people ought to be put to death according to the Law of God whereas yet in all his discourse he could not produce the least jot or tittle of the Law against any such kinde of supposed Witches as he talketh of nor the least colour of argument to prove his supposals in all the Law or all the Scriptures without misconstruing the Law of God and the Scriptures So much for this Author Cooper answered THe second English Writer upon this subject is one Thomas Cooper a Minister who himself being infected with the common Popish tenent sent forth by Pope Innocent the Eighth and Pope Iulius the Second and affirmed by Bodinus and other bloudy Inquisitors mentioned in my Second Book that Witches are Murtherers and such as can raise Winds and do things impossible by the help of the Devil This Cooper instead of being himself a Minister to instruct and teach the people in Gods Truth grounded in Scriptures he became a bloudy Inquisitor to finde out Witches that is a bloudy Persecutor of the poor and an accuser of them to be Witches who by his blinde zeal in this kinde did cause many to be executed for Witches as he confesseth in his first Book the first Chapter and sixteenth Page and after this he reading Mr. Scots Discovery of Witchcraft which he was no way able to confute by Scripture nor to answer him truly hee being galled in his Conscience and netled in his minde concerning his reputation in the World which he feared he should loose if his wickedness should be convicted and laid open instead of humbling his Soul before God and begging pardon for his sin he wrot a Book in defence of his errours called the mystey of Witchcraft wherein he hath as others have done pretended to confute Scot and to that end hath writ down many Popish inventions adding thereunto many of his own foolish imaginations without one jot of Scripture to prove or ground any of his Tenents and after long discourse of meer lyes and imaginations in a pretence of holy Zeal yet quite contrary to Gods truth yea I may say imaginations resisting Gods holy Spirit of Truth hath thought it a sufficient confutation of Scot to fetch him over with an use of reproof as appeareth in his first Book the eighteenth page just as if a man should preach contrary to the Scriptures that Idols are gods and labour to prove it by experience as this Cooper laboureth to prove his Tenents concerning Witches or to prove it by the example of such as have been slain because they would not fall down before an Idol and worship it as this Cooper laboureth to prove his errours concerning Witches from the example of many that have been executed for Witches and then should fetch them over with an use of reproof that say Idols are no gods and after this groundless use of reproof this Cooper goeth on still in a frivolous discourse without any Scripture to prove his Doctrin and at last laboureth to shew that Juglers are Witches which no man yet did ever deny if they were such as wrought false Miracles to seduce the people as Iannes and Iambres and Simon Magus and Elimas the Sorcerer but he laboureth to prove that common Juglers are Witches that do work their Tricks of Activity saith he by a Familiar which yet saith he are no real Miracles but they hurt the Eye and thicken the Air saith he whereby they make things seem to be really done that are not done which thing for a Jugler to do that is to hurt the eye and touch it not and to thicken the Air were a Miracle it self but to clear these vain Fancies who knoweth not that Juglers do play their Tricks only by the slight of hand called Cleanly Conveyance or Legerdemain and what common Jugler that hath gone about to Fairs or Markets to shew his Tricks of Activity to get Mony will not in private for a shilling shew any Trick that he hath acted openly and shew how it is done to the satisfaction of any man that desireth it and that without a Familiar or the least appearance of any such vain Phantsy as fools imagine But yet if I should take it for granted that these common Juglers are Witches and do work their Feats by a Familiar Devil as he affirmeth yet what doth that make towards the proving of these poor and aged and lame people to be Witches that have so commonly been said to be Witches What Tricks
men and the impetuousnesse of the times and the authority of such Writers as hee calleth the learned as that although hee hath writen some Truths in preaching also whereof hee hath done much good in Gods Vineyard in labouring to stay that bloody persecution on foot against the poor and Innocent yet he hath much swerved from the Truth of this subject of Witches and Witchcraft in that hee yeildeth at all to the common contagion of Error that hath defiled the World not that Witches are for that were my Error to deny seeing the Scriptures do manifestly condemn them but that Witches in the Scripture sence are such as have made a familier compact with the Devill and receive power from him to kill and the like I wonder but that the hour of darknesse is not yet fully past that so many Ministers should still wander in this darksome imagination what least intimation or description of such a kind of Witch hath God given us in the Scriptures or of Devills in the corporall shape of Imps making a familier compact with any of mankind or any ground for such imaginary whimses of mans brain what consequence is there in Logicall dispute or in Theologicall Principles that hee that denieth these phantasies denieth that there is a Devill and so finally that there is a God the Scripture teacheth us that there is a God and likewise a Devill or Devills but what Scripture speaketh of a familiar Devill or Jmp or that a Witch can kill by Witchcraft or hurt either body or goods by Witchcraft by the Devills help either by Gods permission or without I rather think that this forsaking of the Scriptures and delivering for Doctrin the traditions of Antichristian Popish Writers is a forsaking of God and consequently a denying of God hee saith hee could instance from story how many have had no Faith of Witches being till their bewitched body or goods hath served to unwitch them of their opinions and conceit is this a Theologicall way of Argument to ground a Doctrin upon vain reports and phantasmes without Scriptures yea flat contrary to the Scriptures Deut. 32.39 1 Sam. 2.6 7. dare any man contrary to those and many places of Scripture when hee is afflicted in body or goods ascribe â— a Witch upon vain Phantasie and carnal reason â—â—perstitious imaginations and foolish traditions withâ—riptures which by the Scriptures we are taught to 〈◊〉 only to God yes men dare do so and Ministers dare 〈◊〉 so And this is the condemnation that light is come into â—â—rld and men love darkness rather than light But now to 〈◊〉 to the man himself of whom I have written sparingly 〈◊〉 Gaule if this work of mine shall come to your hand as 〈◊〉 hath come to mine be not angry with me for writing 〈◊〉 Truth I am sure you shall get more estimation among 〈◊〉 Beleevers more favour with God and do more good in â—rists Vine-yard by acknowledging your error and by emâ—cing Gods Truth than by being carried away with the â—ams of these fâ—ouds of iniquity that have over-flowed the â—istian world You say in your second case pag. 24. It is 〈◊〉 to observe any specifique difference of Witches in 〈◊〉 you acknowledge the subject to be difficult to write 〈◊〉 Sir I have given you full specifical descriptions of â—em according to the Scriptures then although Sir you be â—arned in other things disdain not to learn of me the truth 〈◊〉 this subject I doubt not but if you had first read my Book â—ur own Book had been more perfect Suffer not a Witch to 〈◊〉 Prestigiatricem a Jugling person that worketh false Miracles to seduce the people to Idolatry Exod. 22.18 Ioâ—is destroying of Witches 2 King 23 24. what was it but â—â—lling down the Idols with their Adjuncts Oraclers and â—uth-sayers that were the Idol Priests that seduced the peoâ—â—e Examine the places which are your own quotations 〈◊〉 Sir I intreat you in Christs name that as you have â—â—en fervent for Gods Cause with Apollos Act. 18.25 so learn 〈◊〉 me the way of God more perfectly as he did of the Diâ—iples vers 26. fare-well Sir the Spirit of God be your faâ—â—iliar Spirit to guide you in the truth Non quiâ— Sed quid Master Ciffard answered THere is yet another Book come to my hand written by Mr. George Giffard an able Minister of Gods Word in Maldon which because the common way of some mans arguing is by questioning what say you to this and what say you to that Author therefore I will give a brief description of his Tenents which are chiefly three the first is That a VVitch can not by a Familiar or by any craft any way hurt or weaken the life health or estate of any man by bewitching with disease or infirmity either Man or Beast or hurting his Goods and this he proveth plainly by Scripture and Reason as I have also done in my Second Book of this Discourse The second Tenent is That VVitches have Imps and Familiars The third Tenent is That these Familiars do nothing really but only do deceive the VVitch by making her beleeve they do that which cometh to pass upon Man or Beast by Divine providence but for these two last Tenents he doth not prove by Scripture as he did the first nor yet affirm for truth but only being overcome by the strength of common report grounded upon the Confession of such as have been executed he only yeeldeth to those strong delusions which have deceived many Hypothetically arguing if Witches have such Imps or Familiars they are only deceived by them but herein is he not confident and therefore these two last Tenents being not confirmed by him do confirm nothing and for the first of the two That VVitches have Imps is susficiently disproved in my Second Book and that all their Confessions are no argument then for the last Tenent having reference to the first it is in like manner nullified for if they have no Imps nor no Familiar then they are not deceived by them nor do beleeve or confess any such thing wherein they seem to him to be deceived any further than Confession is wrung from them by them who are the deceivers of themselves and others by the Deceiver of the VVorld that dwelleth in them except sometimes by the depth of Melancholly or distemâ—ered brain as I have formerly demonstrated in my Second Book and therefore need no further answer So much for this Author who I beleeve had more of the Spirit of truth in him than many of his profession Now for all that have written in that kinde I summon all VVitch-mongers to shew me in the Old or New Testament which are given as a rule of truth the least inference of any such Doctrin as is delivered by them Also I desire any man of right understanding to compare them with the Scriptures and so compare also this my Book with the Scriptures and to see which of them is most consonant with the Scriptures
and which is most dissonant from the Scriptures and so to try them by Gods touch-stone of truth The Conclusion TO conclude you that are convicted of your Errors and yet do make a light matter of it and lay it not to heart was Cain and Ahab accursed for murthering of each of them one man and do yee make it a light matter to have murthered thousands by your ignorant doctrin VVhat will it avail at the latter day that yee have preached and prayed and spread forth your hands and made great stir in pretence of Religion If Christ shall say Depart from me yee workers of iniquity and shâ—dders of innocent bloud if thousands that are wrongfully slain shall rise up in Judgement against you if it shall be said to many Ministers and Preachers of the VVord in that yee have not taught against these abominations yee are partakers in them Causes of upholding the damnable Doctrin of Witches power IF I did not aime at brevity I might enlarge this Volume upon these particulars following which I will only name and leave them being the causes of upholding the opinion of Witches power 1 Some Ministers for want of due examining of the Scriptures have taught in the Pulpits unwarily and inconsiderately the Doctrin of Witches Power as also some have published their Works in print 2 Many Ministers although they are of the contrary opinion yet have neglected to beat down the common phantastical conceit of people concerning Witches power 3 The common hatred that all men do bear to a Witch so that if any poor Creature hath the report of being a Witch they joyn their hand with the rest in persecuting blindly without due consideration 4 The false reports that are commonly raised in that kinde concerning Witches whereby men lead one another like wandring lost Sheep to beleeve lyes it is certain it was done in such a place I have credibly heard it 5 Vain credulity which all men are naturally prone unto ever since Adams Fall that is a Vice whereby men are subject to beleeve every lying report being the ground of infidelity Credula mens hominis erectae fabulis aures 6 Infidelity or not beleeving the Scriptures to be the only perfect rule of righteousness and touch-stone of truth 7 Ignorance of the Scriptures either by wresting them or by neglecting to search them or want of being able to read them or whâ—n they are read want of ability to understand them all such men may be led away with any opinion 8 Generality of opinion maketh weak people and ignorant to argue sure it is safest to say and think as others do 9 Obstinacy in opinion in such as have some weak knowledge let such be beaten from one Argument they will fly to another and beat them from all Arguments yet at last thâ—y will still hold their opinion 10 Melancholly which frameth much representation in the minde of any terrible report or doctrin though it bee groundless and false and causeth it to take great impression in the deluded understanding 11 Timerousness whereby men like little Children and Women especially are afraid of every idle fantastical report that they hear of Witches power especially if they be alone in the dark 12 Crackt Phantasie whereby many a man or woman specially in Sickness have strange Apparitions either in bed or abroad which they report to silly people and are beleeved whereas it is nothing but their broken and hurt fancy occasioned in some by sickness or distemper in some by much Drunkenness in some by a blow on the head and in Scholars sometimes by over-much study whereby they presently conceit and are judged by others to be bewitched or at least to be pursued by a Witch or by a Witches Imps and judge so themselves 13 People that are handled by strange Diseases as Children in Convulsion Fits or Women in Fits of the Mother and the like are by ignorant beholders and sometimes by ignorant Physitians said to be bewitched as were Frogmortens Children said to be falsely 14 Old Wives Fables who sit talking and chatting of many false old Stories of Witches and Fairies and Robin Good-fellow and walking Spirits and the Dead walking again all which lying fancies people are more naturally inclined to listen after than to the Scriptures 15 Another abominable cause is the suffering of Impostors to live such as silly people call Cunning men who will undertake to tell them who hath bewitched them who and which of their Neighbours it was by the delusions of such Impostors many poor innocent people are branded with a report of being Witches by reason of which report coming first from a Witch they are in process of time suspected accused arreigned and hanged A Reference to Mr. Scots Treatise of Spirits and also the Opinion of Luther concerning Devils I Might further enlarge this Volume with a Treatise of Spirits or the nature of Devils concerning which people have much abused themselves for want of knowledge in the Scriptures but for brevity I refer the Reader to Mr. Scot who hath excellently written in the latter end of his Discovery of Witchcraft a Discourse called A Treatise of Spirits also I thought good to adde in brief the words of Luther concerning Devils which are these De phreneticis sic sentio omnes moriones qui usu ratâ—onâ—s privantur à daemonibus vexari non quod ideo damnati sunt sed quod variis modis Satan homines tentat alios gravius alios lenius alios longius quod medici multa ajusmodi tribuunt naturalibus causis remediis aliquando mitigant fit quod ignorant quanta sit potentia jus daemonum Christ us non dubitat curvam illam anum in Evangelio vinctam a Satana dicere Petrus Actorum decimo oppressos a Diabolo dicit quos Christ us sanarat ita etiam multos surdos claudos malitia Satanae tales esse Deo tamen premittente denique pestes febres atque alios graves morbos opera daemoniorum esse qui tempestates incendia frugum calamitates operantur vere affirmamus Summa mali sunt Angeli quid miâ—um si omnia faciunt mala humano generi noxia pericula intentent quatinus Deus premittit etiamsi plurima talia herbis aliis remediis naturalibus curari possunt volente Deo miserente nostri exemplum Iobi endicat quae passus sit a Satana quae medicus omnia naturaliter fieri curari assereret sciendum est igitur phreneticos a Satana tentari saltem temporaliter an Satan non faceret phreneticos qui corda replet fornicatione coede rapinae omnibus pravis affectibus summa Satan proprior nobis est quam ullus credere possit cum sanctissimis sit propinquissimus adeo ut ipsum Paulum colaphizare Christum vehere possit quorsum libet These are the words of Luther and where he saith at the last that the Devil could carry Christ whither he listed it is his errour for